The present disclosure generally relates to voltage regulation of an integrated circuit (IC). In particular, this disclosure relates to the evaluation of on-chip voltage regulation schemes through the use of a linear circuit simulator.
An IC, also known as a silicon, or computer “chip”, is a specially prepared piece of silicon or other semiconductor material, into which a complex electronic circuit is etched and formed using a photolithographic process. ICs can contain or include computer processors, memory, analog, and customizable devices. ICs can be relatively fragile, and therefore are often mounted on and/or surrounded by a protective, supportive ceramic or plastic package. Electrical connections with the chip can be provided through metal contacts, which can include pins or solder balls located on the exterior of the chip package.
ICs can have certain advantages over comparable discrete circuits, such as relatively low cost and high performance. The relatively low cost of an IC can result from the large number, e.g., millions, of transistors that can be simultaneously printed as a complete functional unit by photolithographic techniques, rather than constructing an equivalent circuit from individually fabricated transistors. Performance of an IC can be significantly higher than an equivalent discrete circuit, due to the high density and relatively low electrical interconnect parasitics between active devices such as transistors. Types of ICs may include analog, digital and “mixed signal” chips, i.e., chips that incorporate both analog and digital functions on the same silicon die.